(Best E Casino) - Right-hander Homer Bailey gets another shot at regaining phenom status tonight when his Cincinnati Reds open a three-game series with the visiting San Diego Padres at Great American Ball Park.

The seventh overall pick in the 2004 draft, Bailey has been less than spectacular in his major-league appearances thus far, logging a 5.76 earned run average in nine appearances last season and going 0-3 with a 7.00 ERA in 18 innings this year.

Bailey dropped his first three decisions of 2008 in early June, then got a no- decision in his most recent start after allowing five hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings of the Reds' 3-2 loss at Milwaukee.

He has never faced the Padres.

San Diego right-hander Josh Banks faces Cincinnati for the third time this season, but for the first time as a starter.

The Baltimore native, who turned 26 on Friday, met the Reds on consecutive days in late May and combined to toss eight innings of scoreless ball while allowing eight hits and striking out five.

In fact, he got the win in an 18-inning marathon with Cincinnati on May 25, pitching six innings of the Padres' 12-9 triumph.

Banks has gone 1-4 in seven starts since. He pitched one inning of relief prior to the All-Star break and allowed two hits and a run in San Diego's 12-3 loss to Atlanta on July 13.

On Sunday in St. Louis, Aaron Miles' grand slam in the ninth gave the Cardinals a 9-5 win and complete a four-game sweep of the Padres.

Scott Hairston went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored for the Padres, who have dropped their last six games. Cha Seung Baek went 6 1/3 innings and gave up two runs -- one earned -- on six hits along with a walk and three strikeouts. He also had his first career home run, a two-run shot in the fifth inning.

In Cincinnati, Robinson Cancel scored the go-ahead run on Edwin Encarnacion's throwing error in the top of the 10th inning and the New York Mets bested the Reds, 7-5, to salvage a split of a four- game set at Great American Ball Park.

Edinson Volquez lasted only five innings for the Reds, giving up four runs on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts in a no-decision. Bill Bray (2-1) surrendered two unearned runs in the 10th to take the loss.

Adam Dunn, Brandon Phillips and Encarnacion each had a solo home run for Cincinnati, which has lost three of its last five.

These teams have split their four matchups this season, but San Diego holds a slight 10-6 edge in the series since the start of the 2006 campaign.